Originally Posted by
rdlmitedu
(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Getting Sapphire or Emerald for moderate total cost in 2023 (for 2024), and cheap/easy way to maintain status 2024+. Currently have AS MVPG75K, will renew for 2023, but want to move due to AS segment requirement, and deciding between AA, JL (for JGC...), or an Avois program. Value baggage allowance, lounge access, domestic first upgrades; like premium-cabin long-haul redemptions.
(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
200-300k. >50 flights. But split DL, AA domestic, and want to maintain TK, DL too.
(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
Discount business class international (e.g. $2500 r/t US-Europe) with weird routings/stopovers, domestic "main cabin" econ.
(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Full flexibility, both.
(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
SJU-MIA/SRQ/TPA. SJU-NYC. SJU-AUS SJU-(somewhere)-LAS. SJU, MIA, NYC - Europe, Asia. I go to international conferences 1-3x/month, sometimes combine into the same trip.
(6) What is your home airport?
SJU, but often position to NYC, MIA, SRQ, TPA for long haul flights.
(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
AS MVPG75K (maybe 100K for 2023, and about 800k miles.) TK Elite Plus (*G) and about 20k remaining miles. DL Platinum (Diamond after next flight), about 300k.
(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
Most domestic travel in AA or DL. Favorite airlines JL, SQ.
Here's the dilemma: If you want lounge access when flying AA domestically, you will need oneworld Sapphire or Emerald status in a foreign FFP; if you want a chance of getting free upgrades when flying domestically, you will need status with AA (or AS). Which is more important to you?
If you plan to fly at least four segments on BA or IB within a qualifying period, you should be able to achieve at least OWS in BA's Executive Club program pretty easily with your international Business Class travel. If you do not expect to have those segments, then credit your long-haul oneworld Business Class flights to Iberia Plus, and you'll achieve at least OWS with them pretty quickly. See this helpful Inside Flyer article:
https://insideflyer.co.uk/2019/03/qa...f-iberia-plus/
(Although the article talks about crediting QR Business Class flights to Iberia Plus, the analysis applies equally well to trans-Atlantic Business Class flights.)